Hydrocarbon motor



1 631,177 June 7,1927. L. M. WOOL-SON a HYDROCARBON MOTOR Filed May 26. 1920 2 Shts-Sheet 1 Iii ///////////, |W/////////////////////////////////Wffff J8 ,Weldon ff. #MEI June 7, 1927.

Patented June 7, 1927. v

UNITED sTAT'Es LIONEL M. WOOLSON,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AS-SIGNOR T0. PACKARDy MOTOR CAR COMPANY, O F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

' H YDnocAnBoN Moron.

Application filed' May 26,

This invention relates to hydrocarbon motors, and particularly'to combust-ion heaters therefor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a combustion heater adapted to operate independently of the throttle in establishing a flow o mixture to theheatcr and eiiecting the ignition the-reot.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction which shall dispense with the use ot' an auxiliary carburetor Jfor supplying 4themixture to. the combustion heater.'

Another object of the invention is to provide Aa' combustion heater operating inde- .pendently of the throttle which may be embodied in a self-contained structurev and which may be inserted directly in. the intake manifold or conduit, and, therefore, may be easily and economically applied to manifolds ot widely varying types.

Another ob `ect of the invention is to provide, in a construction having the l,above objects. in view, means for cutting oi the suply of mixture to the combustion heater when. the throttle is opened to a .predeter mined extent. i i

llVith theseobjects and others in view, the invention is embodied in preferable form in the construction and arrangement herein-l after described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure v1 is a side elevation partly in vertical sectio of the mixture 'forming and feeding system of a hydrocarbon motor containing my improvements in one form thereof;

Figure 2 an enlarged detail longitudinal section of they combustion heater anddraft inducingmeans in the intake conduit;

Figure 3 a detail end'elevation 'of the coinbustion heater structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 a view-similar to Figure 1, of a modified form of the invention; and

Figure 5 still another view of the same character illustrating a possible application ot'cut-otfmeans for the combustion heater, interconnected with the throttle.

Referring to the drawings, 10l indicates a carburetor, which may be of any. unusual construction, and 11 an intake manifold, pipe or conduit leading from 'said carburetor `to the hydrocarbon motor 12. Mounted in the vertical section of said intake conduit above the carburetor is athrottle valve 13 1920. Serial No. 384,351.

ot the ordinary butterflyA type. According to the illustration in Figure 1, the device is adapted to be mounted in the vertical section o il tl'i'c intake conduit. To this end, a portion ot the ordinary conduit pipe is' removed and is replaced' by a pipe section or shell 14,

which is bolted or otherwise secured at. its

opposite ends to adjoining portions of the NVithin this member 14 is- .adapted to be mounted a venturi 15 wlnch is intake pipe.

provided with a series ot' holes 16 therethrough near its entrance end in the line of direction yot the iiow of the mixture. These holes connnunicate with an annular'recess 17 formed between the outer portion ot' the venturi and the wall of the section 14 and this annular recess communicates by a port 18 witl'a longitudinally extending passageway 19 formed inan enlarged portion of the meniber 14. This passageway is closed at its farther end by means of aplug 20 and a channel 21: leadsfrom the passageway to a smaller restricted passageway 22 which is otlset from the center of thel passageway 21 and which in turn communicates with a mixture 'receiving' chamber 23 formed in a removable plug 24 which maybe made of any suitable heat resisting material. This plug is adapted 'to be 'formed in this plug is adapted to be closed by a window 27 torined'otI glass or other transparent material and the edges of which are clamped between gaskets 28 and 29, against the latter otwhich gaskets bears a threaded washer or retaining plug 30.

This4 glass member'not only constitutes a closure' for the end of the chamber 23 so as to prevent the escape of mixture therefrom, but also provides an' observation window through' which the combustion chamber may j be inspected and the ignition of the mixture observed.

The chamber 28 receives the mixture in a finely sprayed condition owing to the odset lvz'irrangement of the small passageway 22.

From the chamber 23 the spray passes through a screen 31 held between a washer 32 anda gasket 33, vwhereby the mixture is still more' finely atomized.I This finely divide-d mixture then enters '1 av combustion chamber 34. in which is located a spark plug 35 constituting ignition'means for the ex- 'loV plosive mixture. From the combustion chamber where -the mixture is ignited, the gases are drawn through a port 36 into a space 37 annularly surrounding the venturi. Apertures`38 are formed in the venturi at the most restricted portion thereof and establsh communication between the said recess 37 and the interior of the venturi, whereby Aa strong suction is exerted upon the outlet of the passageway leading through the combustion chamber so as to induce a draft of the explosive mixture from the intake conduit, through the inlet of the combustion heater passageway and into the combustion ch'amb'er, and thence out again into the intake conduit. The burned gases mix with the main supply of mixture coming from the carburetor, and raise the temperature of the latter suliciently to vaporize 1t to a completely combustible mixture.`

It will be seen that a combustion. heater is provided which is independent of the throttle in operation, which requires no moving parts and which may be. embodied in a single structure consisting of a short pipe section having an enlarged body suflicient to permit of the formation therein of a by-pass and a combustionchamber, which structure may be readily placed in the manifold line with very slight change in the existing construction of the latter.

It is clear 'that other means than the Venturi tube may be provided in the intake conduit morder to create a suction in the passageway leading'through the combustion chamber. For instance, another form of such means of restriction is illustrated in y Figure* 4. In the arrangement shown in this ligure, 40 indicatesthe carburetor, 4l the vertical outlet section of the intake conduit, 42 the throttle valve, 43a horizontal section of the intake conduit, and 44, a part of a hydrocarbon motor to which the intake conduit leads. On this horizontal section of the conduit is mounted a by-pass pipe 45 having both its inlet end 46 and yits outlet end 47 communicating with the intake conduit at points between the main throttle and themotor. 48 constitutes the restriction means Ifor the intake conduit adapted to create a suction through the by-pass pipe, this restriction means being located ad] acent to the outlet and a short distance in front of the same-,toward the throttle, and consisting of a hand-operated screw plug valve 49. The

tion through the intake conduit is 'increased and as the throttle is opened more widely, and that hence the heat supplied to the intake conduit will be increased in proportion to the extent of throttle opening. This operation and the condition of temperature in the intake arising therefrom may prove to be desirable in connection with the use of kerosene or other fuels heavier than gasoline in themotor. lVhen more volatile fuels are used, however, it may be desirable to render the combustion heater inoperative after the motor has become warmed up so that the supply of heat to the main mixture passage of the intake conduit will be cut oil", thus avoiding loss of volumetric elliciency due to excessive expansion. In Figure 5 there is illustrated a construction adapted to accomplish this end, and in this arrangement only a small section of the intake manifold is shown. 50 indicates the intake conduit, 51 a by-pass pipe having both inlet and outlet ends communicating with the intake conduit and providing a passageway for explosive mixture through a combustion chamber 52 in which is mounted an ignition spark plug 53. A venturi 54 is mounted in the intake conduit and serves to establish a suction upon the outlet end of the passageway through the heater. rlfhe inlet end of the by-pass pipe communicates with a hollow boss 55 formed or attached to the outside of the intake conduit pipe. Inthis chamber is adapted to be mounted a valve 56, preferably of the butterfly type, and operable by means pf a link 57 connected to an arm 58 projecting from the pivot of the main throttle 59 which is mounted in the intake conduit.

The connection between the .two valves is such that when the main throttle is moved away from its closed position, the valve in the by-pass will be moved towardits closing position, and whennthe throttle has been moved to substantially fully open position,

the valve inthe by-pass will be closed, thus cutting olf the supply of explosive mixture to the combustion chamber and rendering the combustion heater inoperative. -When the throttle is closed or is set at idling position, the combustion heater valve will be correspondin ly opened so as to permit heat to be again s pplied `to the intake conduit.

Having th s described my invention, what I claim and esire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. InI combination with a. hydrocarbon motor, means for forming an explosive mixture, a conduit leading from said means to the motor, a throttle, a combustion heater, a mixture passageway leading through said combustion heater, and means infsaid conduit independent of the throttle for pro-- llo motor, means for formin an explosive mix- 4 ture, a conduitleading om said means to said motor, a throttle, a combustion heater,

a`` mixture passageway leading through the.' heater, and means in the conduit between the. thtlyrottle and`motor. for'establishing a sucti n from the engine through said passagedi In combination witli a hydrocarbon motorhmeans for forming an explosive mix ture, anintake conduit leading from said means to the motor, a throttle, a combustion heater having a mixture inlet and an outlet, both communicating vwithfthe intake -conduit between the throttle and the motor,

and means to effect the passage of mixture throu h said combustion heater.

4. n combination with a lhydrocarbon motor, means for forming an explosive mixture, an intake conduit leading from said.

means to the motor, a throttle, 'a b -pass communiating at both ends with said lntake conduit with both its inlet andoutlet between the throttle and said motor, a combustion heater in said by-pass, and means to induce a suction through. the by-pass to draw a part of the mixture therethrough.

5. In combination ywith a hydrocarbon motor, means :for forming an explosive mixture, an intake'conduit, a throttle, a comlocall restriting -said passageway, a bypass aving suction through the same 1nduced by said restriction, and a spark plug in said by-pass for igniting mixture.

7. AIn combination with a. hydrocarbon motor, means for forming an explosive mixture, an intake conduit, a throttle, a combustio'nheater receiving mixture from the intake between the throttle and motor and delivering the burned mixture to said intake, and means for rendering the heater inoperative upon the opening of the throttle to a redetermined extent.

8.1 n combination with a hydrocarbon motor, means for formingan explosive mixture,'an intake conduit, a throttle, a combustion heater, means independent of the throttle for effecting a suppl of mixture to the'heater, and a valve for t e heater connected to the throttle and operable to movel to closing position as the throttle is opened.

9. The combination with a hydrocarbon motor having an intake conduit, and a. throttle valve in the intake conduit, of a combustion heater having both its'inlet and outlet connected to the conduit on one side of said throttle, and variable n restriction means in the conduit between4 said inlet and outlet.

10. Tliecombination with a hydrocarbon motor having lan intake conduit, arid a throttle valve in the intake conduit, of a combustion heater having both its inlet and outlet connected to the conduit on one Side of the throttle, and valve means in the conduit between` said inlet and outlet.

11. Arregenerator for an internal combustion engine comprising a casing adapted to 'envelope the intake Amanifold of an engine and' provided with a torch nozzle directed toward the manifold within the easing, an ignition chamber mounted on the casing for which the torchv nozzle is an outlet vand provided with an. ex ansion fuel inlet, and ignition means in tlie chamber for firing the fuel passing therethrough.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature'. i

LIONEL M. wooLsoN. 

